has lifted the lid on why she stepped away from the Hollywood spotlight at the peak of her fame - after with Kristin Cavallari.
The former MTV darling, now 40, became a household name after appearing on the network’s hit reality series Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County and its hugely successful spin-off The Hills.
Conrad was just 18 when Laguna Beach debuted in 2004, before cameras followed her to two years later - documenting the highs and lows of her internship at Teen Vogue, her love life and her friendships.
But in 2009 - at the height of her reality TV reign - she shocked fans by walking away to focus on her then-budding fashion career.
'I always looked at as a temporary thing to make my connections and then go on to my dream,' Conrad, who launched her first collection with Kohl’s that same year, told People on Tuesday.
Four years ago, the star - who shares sons Liam, eight, and Charlie, six, with husband William Tell - retreated even further from Hollywood, putting down roots in her hometown of Laguna.
Lauren Conrad has lifted the lid on why she stepped away from the Hollywood spotlight at the height of her fame - after addressing her long-running feud with Kristin Cavallari; (pictured March 26)
Laguna Hils aired for three seasons from 2004 until its conclusion in 2006 - and followed the personal lives of high school students in Orange County; (cast pictured in 2004)
'I really appreciate private moments,' she said. 'Nobody cares who I am here.'
She added, 'It’s such a privilege to be able to live my life for myself after putting many years on camera.'
During filming of the reunion, and in a teaser for the project, she came face-to-face with Kristin Cavallari as the pair addressed their long-discussed fallout.
Now settled back in her hometown, Conrad is focused on raising her family - and embracing a quieter pace of life far removed from her reality TV beginnings.
